Final Fantasy XIII Versus: The Third Kingdom
by Yuki Minamoto
Summary: Lost in the history books, there lives another kingdom. War & Politics are dirty games, a chess board in which princes and princesses play. Ch. 3 Updated. King Caelum VS King Flueret VS King & Queen Suzaku
1. Prologue

**~The Third Kingdom~**

**What if there was another kingdom besides Tenebrae and the Caelum family?**

_**Three kingdoms,  
**__**Two wars,  
**__**One Crystal.  
**__**Only one will survive. . .**_

* * *

_A princess wants what a prince protects._

_One Crystal to rule over them all._

_Light and Dark meet and clash with one another._

_Using magic, summons, and weapons to get what they want__._

_A council of men wait for an opening._

_A man waiting to kill._

___A Goddess waits for the Dead behind a closed door_  


_Can stars in the night sky remain together?_

_Or will another prince take her heart away?_

_The three pages ripped away from the history books._

_Falling on the ground like petals in the wind._

_Is this where we begin the story?_

_About another kingdom. . . ._

_Above the urban cities._

_Above the smoky clouds._

_Over the highest mountain._

_There is a third kingdom._

_A kingdom forgotten in the pages of war and bloodshed._

_Away from the two other kingdoms who struggle to gain both._

_The King and Queen corrupt with madness, together they create a family cursed with their blood._

_Then come three princes:_

_ two of their paths carved towards the crown, _

_one prince goes against his kingdom. . . and his flesh and blood._

_Which will remain victorious?_

_The third prince?_

_Or the third kingdom?_


	2. Etro's Cafe

**~The Third Kingdom~**

_**My Goddess of Death**_

_**Tragedy begins when a person waits for the Goddess of Death at her doorstep.  
The fate of that person is inevitable  
And that fate is Death. **_

* * *

_High above the landscape of a world that is still unknown even to this day, here lies two kingdoms fighting for one Crystal, the only one left in this world. _

_Long ago, Crystals ruled over this world and gave power to many others. It was that kind of power that people became mad, fully drunk with the Crystal's power. Those who were chosen by the Crystal killed indiscriminately, and people began to fear them. To stop the monsters, they destroyed the Crystals, wiping them off this world until there was one more left. The warring kingdoms soon regretted their actions, remembering an old saying,"**Destroying a Crystal means destroying the World**._

_To forget their mistake, the frighten masses created a myth about the wars from before. It was that of a Goddess Etro, a deity who chose powerful humans to fight for her and the Crystals. These 'special' humans were granted magical abilities beyond those who studied magic for years. They were granted to have superhuman strength, be masters of agility, and have the forbidden 'Sight'. _

_How Etro marked them was unknown and why she chose that specific person was also unknown. The only disadvantage of being one of her servants was this: When you use more of her power, you slowly drain your own life source. Once she knows that you are not of use to her, she will begin to drive you insane to the brink of death. This begins with the slaughtering of the precious humans close to you, killing any connection you have with any being on this world, then finally killing innocent humans until the body wastes away into nothing but rotting flesh._

_The Crystal was just the first stage into meeting with the Goddess. Once you came into contact with them, you were Lady Etro's servant until your death. The instinct to protect of the Crystal was instantly branded into you. For the one who had the last Crystal was given the powers of a deity. Those who went against the Crystal was punished to the fullest extent: Death._

_Thus, this action on behalf of the Crystal began the Cold War. Nations from around the world began mass producing firearms and hired Mages to fight against the only kingdom with that one, remaining Crystal. Only one kingdom had the power to fight against them: Tenebrae. The same people who created the Goddess Etro myth. It__ was the myth they created for themselves to explain what happened before, about a Deity without a Heart, and how the Cold War began._

_Little did they know, that myth they created during the Chaos of War was actually true._

The book closed with a quick _thwap!_ A smooth hand touched the cover of Tenebrae's Then and Now and paused at the author's name. The person chuckled at the handwritten mythology book and tossed it casually over his shoulder.

"Who the hell wrote this?" he questioned to himself and smiled as he walked with his hands in his pockets. The room contained a wooden bed, a small coffee table, and two chairs at the corner of the room. The quietness of the room comforted him to an extent until it became too unbearable to handle. He glanced at the clock and blinked several times.

It was noon. It took him that _long_ to finish a passage of a book? _'I was always a slow reader. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised.'_ he thought to himself, his ego bruised slightly. Scratching the back his head, the man touhed his doorknob and opened the door.

He walked down the hallway and turned his head to the left. He was instantly greeted at the desk by the elderly innkeeper. "Why, hello there! Did you have a goodnight's rest, Sir?" the elderly woman asked with a cheerful voice. The man smiled at her gently and nodded.

"As always Mrs. Sola. You know when to put in the good in a good night's rest!" He winked at her while she laughed. "Now, now young man! You know I have a husband do you?" she asked, slightly flattered at his flirtatious advances. The man grinned as he pushed away his bangs with a shake of his head.

"He doesn't have to know Mrs. Sola. I'm good at keeping secrets." The man leaned forward with a seductive smile while the elderly woman blushed. Turning her eyes away from his face, she waved him back and he complied. "You're trying not getting away from paying the bill are you, young man?" she asked, suspicious of him.

The man smiled again and shook his head. "Mrs. Sola, I've always paid haven't I? Why would I foot the bill now?" Mrs. Sola smiled slightly and rang up his bill. "That'll be 150 Gill." The man handed her the money and waved goodbye as he walked out the door.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you, young man." Mrs. Sola said. The man smirked at her direction which caused Mrs. Sola to blush yet again. He smiled at her reaction and winced at the bright sunlight that invaded his eyes. Giving his eyes a moment to adjust, he heard children laughing with excitement in the background. Suddenly, he felt a grab his shirt. He jumped with a start and heard a giggle from a child.

"Oh! Sorry Mr. Seth! I didn't mean to scare you!" the child exclaimed, her blue eyes stared at his green orbs. The man called Seth sighed and picked the child up. He made a mock frown and tutted her,"Now, now, young ladies like yourself shouldn't scare men like that! Men like me act like wimps when we get scared." The young girl giggled as he made a face full of fear.

"Okay, okay. I won't scare you anymore Mr. Seth! Now put me down, please." Her voice polite and kind as a proper lady. Setting her down, the girl smiled once more at the man and pranced towards her play group. Seth watched the girl walk away, putting his hands in his pockets and began to make his way towards his destination.

'_I know there's a good cafe here somewhere. Where is it?'_ The young man thought as he scanned the streets up and down. Tenebrae streets always confused him. The streets were worded in such a confusing language, even the dictionary didn't helped him. Seth groaned and covered his hands on his face. Hunger gripped him in his grasp and the determination to find the cafe was restored within him.

After asking the locals, Seth finally found the place he was looking for, **Etro's Cafe **and was instantly reminded of the mythology. "Do they really do respect her here? Whatever. Man, I'm hungry." Rubbing his stomach to calm the growling, he walked through the door and the small bell above him chimed indicating that the store had a customer.

A woman with brown hair and brown eyes glanced at Seth and rushed behind the cash register smiling at him brightly,"Welcome to Etro's Cafe! What can I get for you, sir?" Seth looked at the menu and ordered a slice of apple pie, an ice cream sundae, two slices of chocolate cake and a hot chocolate to top off the sugary sweets. The cashier nodded and rang up his order. "That will be 700 Gil." she replied.

Seth couldn't stop his surprise and the cashier giggled,"They always look like that until they've eaten our food. Then, they understand why it's so pricey." Seth smiled and dug into his pockets for Gil. As soon as he found it he handed her the money and said with embarrassment,"I see. Well, it's my first time here in this cafe. I had to ask the locals where this place was. I gotta admit, it's hard to navigate these streets without some guide to help you." The cashier smiled and handed him back his change.

"So you're a tourist? Don't worry, Tenebrae may be big on the inside, but everyone's friendly here. Where are you from?" Her eyes noticed the customer cough once in his hand, his green eyes averted to the ground then at the counter. "I'm from- Well. . . " he paused and saw the tray full of food being carried towards the front counter. The man placed it in front of him and the cashier woman smiled thanks.

"Ah, well enjoy your food, sir." Seth nodded in reply and found a table near a window. His stomach rumbled as he began to eat the apple pie. The warm apple slice was tender to the touch and sent his taste-buds into heaven. Now he understood why. Taking a sip from his hot chocolate, he began to eat with vigor.

*~$%&~*

Violet eyes glanced out from the car window watching the people pass her by without a glance at her direction. The princess smiled. "Being a nobody feels ... good. No assassinations, murder attempts, or fighting would ever happen if I was just another 'someone' in this place." Smiling slightly, she turned her head towards the road.

Spotting a parking space, she veered left and carefully pulled it into parking. Getting out of the car, the blond woman looked at the sign **Etro's Cafe** and walked towards the entrance. _Ding! _She head the ring above her head chime. The smell of sweet confetti and hot beverages invaded her nose. Calm and serene, she walked towards the counter and a brown haired woman came rushing out.

"Welcome to Etro's Cafe! What would you like...-?" The cashier's brown eyes widened at her customer and she started to bow. "Your Majesty!" she exclaimed, blushing furiously. The princess's violet eyes wavered, but began to put on an amused front.

"Please, no formalities. I'm just here to purchase something. What's your special for today?" Stella asked sweetly. The woman was flustered for a moment until she came to her senses. "Our special for today is..." Then cashier began to talk about the special while Stella listened with one ear.

"I'll get that then. How much will it be?" Looking down at her purse, she fished out her wallet as the woman replied back. The food came as quickly as she expected and turned her head to the tables. Not wanting to be noticed, she found a table at the corner of the room with another customer while devouring, Stella would politely say, 'stuffing ones face with sweets'. Turning her back away from the man, she looked at her food and poked it with a fork.

'_So many things running through my mind. Oh, Etro. What do I do?' _Her thoughts invaded her mind as she absentmindedly ate her food. She sighed,"Just thinking about it won't help. I need to take things one step at a time." Then Stella heard a cough behind her.

She turned around as the man behind her coughed again. She heard him pound his chest hard against his fist and then saw him stand up quickly, using both of his hands to press against the cave of his stomach. Stella's eyes widened.

'_Oh, Etro! He's choking!'_ Getting up from her seat and without a second thought, she went behind the man and wrapped her arms around his waist. Using his hands as a wedge she held her hands on top of them, and then used a bit of her magic, sharply jolted it through the man's body and forced it towards his throat.

"Arck!" The man threw up the lodged piece of cake that landed on the table. The customers and staff who all watched the event cheered and some shouted,"HURRAY!" and "DID YOU SEE PRINCESS STELLA SAVED THAT MAN!" Stella gently removed her arms away from him and looked at him carefully. The man had messy, white hair and green, dazed eyes.

"Are you all right?" Stella asked, concerned. The man suddenly took notice of her and backed away a few steps. "I-I'm fine! W-why did you save me? I could have done it by myself." The man's eyes watched Stella as she smiled. "Really? I don't think you could have done the Heimlich Maneuver by yourself. As long as your all right, then it's fine with me."

He heard the amusement in her tone of voice and smirked,"How am I going to tell my friends that I had my butt saved by a blonde?" With that comment, Stella's smile turned into a cold one. "Oh? Well, _without my help_ you could have choked on that sliver of cake you were **_wolfing_** down. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave." Turning away, Stella held her chin up high and walked out of the cafe leaving a stunned man standing in the middle of the cafe while the audience turned around, suddenly preoccupied with eating their food.

"Did I say something wrong?"

* * *

**Please review!**

**~Yuki M.~**


	3. Royalty and War Don't Mix

**-The Third Kingdom-**

**I finally finished this chapter after two weeks of working on it! (faints) Please enjoy while I rest my sore fingers. **

* * *

The chairs scraped against the tiled floors as the meeting adjourned. Nothing was settled and the so-called 'peace talks' created anything, but peace. Shouts from the ambassadors from all three sides of the world turned around the talks into yells and racial slurs. The three heads: King Fleuret, King Caelum, and the King and Queen Suzaku watched the meeting deteriorating before their eyes.

"My, my what a mess you made, Lord Caelum. I only you could teach your ambassadors a few manners then none of this would happen." A female voice filled with an odd mixture of amused excitement echoed in their private chamber. Her black irises brightened when the fighting intensified into physical attacks.

A man wearing a Armani suit smiled coolly. His face showed signs of the burden placed on his shoulders, but his yellow eyes twinkled at Queen Suzaku's comment.

"Really My Lady? I ought to tell you frankly, that I cringe at your ambassador's choice of words, befitting the ladies of _your_ court. I never knew a lady with such high status back at your country could say such horrid phrases." His voice echoed back across the room where it reached the ears of the people present.

A woman with jet black hair and onyx-colored eyes turned to face Lord Caelum. The air surrounding the queen was sinister and cold that frightened her subjects to the point where they couldn't stand to be around her for a moment. Her pale skin deeply contrasted the mermaid dress she was wearing with small pearls outlining the edges and hem, giving the woman an almost powerful and at the same time, fragile look. Each time she moved, the dress would move with her as if she were appearing right beside someone and would disappear once that person looked at her.

She chuckled and lightly touched the side of her face with her hand. "My Lord, your words hurt me. I would never talk so beastly like that _child_ down there. I have no idea where she gets those awful slurs from. Maybe from the commoners, perhaps? I did tell her to stay away from those filthy beings, didn't I darling?"

Her head turned slowly to the man sitting at the head of a metal table. His white hair was clearly seen like a flicker of light amidst the dark, depressing background. The man nodded slowly as his green eyes glanced at King Caelum's yellow ones, before looking away half-interested.

"Yes you did my love. I do not know what's with Lady Rosetta. She should choose her words carefully as King Fleuret does." An aging king with slicked-back sliver-white hair, a graying mustache and goatee rested his arms on top of the sliver surface as his knuckles supported the let-side of his face. Purple eyes watched the man at the opposite side of the table with a small chuckle.

A loose strand of sliver hair fell lightly across his forehead when the king looked up at the painted ceiling above them.

_It was a mosaic depicting man on his knees, reaching out his hands towards a golden ray of light in the blue sky, the only salvation for his poor soul. Surrounding him was the inky blackness of death and sickness: bodies of humans piled up in the corners of the picture, rats infested parts of the mosaic in countless numbers while mother nature was gone from the world, being slowly replaced by decrepit houses with torn sheets of metal ground along side it._

"I choose my words carefuly? Well. I suppose that's partly true. I do **think** before I speak, isn't that right Caelum?" The man in the Armani suit only smiled in response. Everyone were exchanging replies back and forth since he came to this meeting and he yet to say what was on his mind.

"There will come a time where this war will not end until one kingdom lives." King Caelum's booming voice answered his arch-rival from across the room. The royals listened in silence as they all knew this meeting wasn't just a talk about making peace; it was an estimate of each other's power.

"I wonder what Etro thinks of us, fighting over one Crystal like this." King Fleuret gently said while the others noted the hypocrisy in it. He watched a glass chess board in front of him and remembered that he and Suzaku were playing chess earlier in the day, but there was always a stalemate between his king and Suzaku's queen.

A chiming laugh burst through the tense atmosphere which came from Queen Suzaku who was amused at Fleuret's mention of his religion. "Who cares about what **Etro thinks**? She's just a figment of your imagination, Your Highness. It's a shame really. They have to believe in something in order to get hope from an unknown deity, they _themselves_ created. Your people are fools."

This was the tick to enrage the humiliated king. His eys flashed at the youthful queen whose onyx eyes stared past the sliver-haired king."Do you _know_ who you are talking to **Queen Suzaku**? You are not old enough to be giving me lectures, **_my dear_**." He stood up in his full size, and Caelum sighed.

'_Him and his anger problems arise once again. Fleuret, don't make yourself look like a fool like before.' _

King Fleuret walked slowly to where the queen was as she smirked at his reaction. Then she noticed something had changed: **his eyes changed**. '_His eyes changed colors!_' Queen Suzaku thought quickly and stared at the man towering above her.

**_Gray eyes clashed with Onyx._**

"I suppose I should be mindful about what I say next time." Her voice was defiant against him. The old man's face hardened,"Don't expect me to easily fall into your trap, _**Your Highness**_. Try not to expect me to be lenient just because you are a woman."

Her lips formed a cold smile,"Oh, King Fleuret. I don't expect you to be." They held their ground firmly, staring at one another.

Suddenly, an instant jolt of pressure surrounded the room stifling the oxygen. Caelum's eyes widened at the change, gripping his seat handle in surprise. He tried to take a gulp of air, but he couldn't to his horror. His lungs were burning for oxygen and he gripped his throat, wheezing. He took a quick glance at King Suzaku who looked unaffected by the instant change of atmosphere.

Grimacing, King Caelum muttered something under his breath with he little oxygen he had left.. Above him, the painted ray of light glimmered slowly. It grew brighter and brighter, showering and enveloping the room with yellow light. As quickly as it came, the pressure stopped forming in his lungs and Caelum could finally breathe again.

He spotted his rival on his knees before the queen.

Breathing heavily, Fleuret gripped his chest in a spasm of pain. "What in Etro's name did you do?" he exclaimed, groaning in pain. The queen's eyes flickered mischievously, "Just a bit of black magic. Do you like?" As if none of that had happened, the qhite-haired king stood up and walked quickly to the injured man.

King Caelum calmly gestured several out-of-breath servants from the background to help King Fleuret. He then looked at the black-haired queen who stood at the side, smirking at the elderly man's pain. Her husband was carefully placing Fleuret's body back on his chair, while the weak man held on to King Suzaku's hands to support himself.

'_Queen Suzaku is a formidable oppnent indeed. Fleuret shouldn't have reacted to her insult so quickly. That fool. I wonder...what kind of magic did she use? I don't think I've ever experienced before. If it brought **him** down to his knees-.' _His yellow eyes watched the servants carry the king onto a stretcher as King and Queen Suzaku stood side by side silently watching the man disappear from the room.

"The meeting is over." Caelum said finally. "Tell your ambassadors not to disrupt any more of my subjects. That also includes the king. You may spend the night here or leave as you wish, Your Majesties." He noded to the couple as the both walked towards the exit.

But stopping at he doorway, the white-haired king looked back at Caelum with a strange smile,"**Bellum omnium contra omnes: **The war of all against all. Remember that phrase King Caelum. It will be quite useful to _you_ and the Prince." The man felt his face flush at the mention of the prince. He showed a strained smile and nodded politely, "Thank you for you advice, Your Majesty. I shall try to remember it."

Then the couple walked away, leaving the man with his thoughts.

Turning to the glass window behind him, King Caelum pondered at the quote. He knew it heard it before, but where? Closing his eyes, he saw in his mind's eye: a young, blue haired prince smiling at him.

_~XxXxXxX~_

_"Father! Father, did you read this already? What does it say?" he asked curiously. He handed the book titled: Leviathan to his father. King Caelum turned the page and spotted the heart of the book and quoted:_

**_Ostendo primo conditionem hominum extra societatem civilem (quam conditionem appellare liceat statum naturae) aliam non esse quam bellum omnium contra omnes; atque in eo bello jus esse omnibus in omnia.  
_**

I show in the first place that the state of men without civil society (which state may be called the state of nature) is nothing but a war of all against all; and that in that war, all have a right to all things.

_The man smiled and stroked his beard. "Did you find this in our room, Noctis?" The prince blushed guilty and looked down at his feet. "I-I did, sir. I wanted to know what it said ... I like the title. Am I a bad boy for stealing?" His blue eyes began to tear up, so his father lifted the boy and sat him upon his lap._

_"No, you are not a bad boy, Noct. We just have a very curious prince on our hands!" he said gently, tickling his son on the stomach. "Hahaha! F-Father! Stop it! That tickles!" Looking up, Noctis smiled innocently at his beloved role-model. Smiling back, King Caelum turned the page and summarized it._

_"It means that in order for people, like your subjects for example are willing to give up parts of their freedom to feel safe. Your mother and I rule this land for a reason, Noctis. It is not about gaining power of them. Your subjects are just like you: human and with flaws. We protect you and everyone here living in this country in exchange for the people's full support in us. Now, without your subjects you as a Prince, have no power over them. It is not about conquering them with fear or religion. It is about gaining their love and faith in us in a way that suits everyone. Even if you are going to be King someday, you have to remember this: You are only a pawn in a game of chess."_

_He paused and quickly saw the confusion in the boy's eyes. Caelum mentally sighed. This is too complicated for a young child to understand. Coughing modestly the king began talking,"What I meant to say was this: In order for you to have a happy reign as a King, make your people happy, understand?"_

_The prince's blue eyes blinked at his father for a moment or two before a flicker of realization came to him. "I-I think I understand, Father. I think . . ." Smiling tenderly at his offspring's naivety , he patted his son's head and released him from his grasp. The prince hugged his father and spotted his mother from a short distance._

_"Mother! Father taught me something about the Lavitan!" The king chuckled at his son's mispronunciation of the book's title. He watched as his son and wife interacted with one another like mother and son. The queen looked up and smiled loving at the king who was by himself in the courtyard._

_"Darling, why are sitting there all by yourself? Come join us!" She and Noctis smiled welcomely as the King heaved a tired, but amused sigh and slowly walked to his family. The only thing he remembered after that was their laughter and bright smiles._

___~XxXxXxX~_  


The memory stopped there and King Caelum sighed. The feeling of nostalgia overcame him and in a flash it was gone. Running his temples, he watched as one-by-one the members of the Peace Talk rose from their seats and walked out of the room without a word.

The burden of a real life war suddenly pounded against his chest and rose up to his throat. He swallowed the urge to vomit and turned away from the glass window. In his line of vision, he saw the glass chess board on the table. With one quickly movement, he strode over to the metal table and grabbed the board.

It felt smooth and cold in his hands as he watched it drop from his hands. The urge to vomit passed and all that was left was anger and resentment. His yellow eyes glowed as he saw the shattered blocks of the dark and white pattern squares break slowly into pieces.

The walls heard the silent cries of a strong man hardening his heart for his country, his people, and a prince so close to his heart and yet so far away.

~XxXxXxX~

**_"An act of love by the first king."_**

**_From the Final Fantasy Versus XIII Gameplay Trailer_**

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**Oh, by the way I DO NOT own the Leviathan! That book belongs to Thomas Hobbes. **

**Please review! **


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